​JAMESTOWN — When Mason Walters and Boden Skunberg are back in Jamestown at the same time, you can count on plenty of basketball being played. “Being from here, I wanted to put on a camp as an opportunity to give back to kids in the area,” Walters said. “We’ve both had good experiences with various camps during college. For Boden and me, it’s a cool chance to give back to the town, build connections, and maybe teach the kids something they haven’t learned before.”
Walters and Skunberg will host a youth basketball camp July 22-23 at Jamestown High School. The registration fee is $115 per camper and includes a T-shirt, daily competitions, prizes and awards, individual skill development, and three hours of games and activities each day. A kindergarten through fourth grade session runs from 9 a.m. to noon, while the fifth through ninth grade session takes place from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
“Boden and I were close in high school, then stayed close through college and beyond,” Walters said. “We started brainstorming last summer about doing a camp, but it didn’t fully come together until a bit earlier this year. We were able to make it work for both of us. We wanted it to be a camp that excites local kids and brings them to Jerry Meyer Arena.”
Walters spent four of his five college years at the University of Jamestown, where he was named the NAIA Player of the Year in his senior season and earned GPAC Player of the Year honors twice. After graduating from UJ, he played one year at the University of Wyoming. He then spent the summer of 2024 in Jamestown and Jonesboro, Arkansas, continuing to train and prepare for professional opportunities.
During that summer, Walters participated in the NBA pre-draft process, with workouts for the Memphis Grizzlies and Denver Nuggets. Following that period, the former Blue Jay finished the season with Kouvot, a professional team in Kouvola, Finland. He spent four months in Finland before returning to Jamestown to train and stay sharp while waiting for his next opportunity. In the meantime, his agent found a potential professional opening in Switzerland, and Walters departed for Basel on Aug. 28, 2025, to play for Starwings. He is currently back in Jamestown, coaching and training others who want to improve, as he awaits word from his agent about his next move.
Skunberg, likewise, is waiting to hear from his own agent about overseas opportunities to continue his basketball career. Until those plans materialize, he and Walters are back in Buffalo City, aiming to inspire Jamestown’s younger players and help them grow the game.
The coaches hope the camp will ignite the passion of Jamestown’s youth and connect them with the tradition of Blue Jay basketball, as Walters and Skunberg share their experiences and expertise with the next generation.